26 replies to this topic

[twisted_ophelia]

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know of any companies that make carbon fiber chairs? I did a quick google search and only found this company here: http://www.rehateamp...S...=10&LANG=EN and I have to admit that chair looks pretty damn cool. I am probably going to switch out the plastic side guards I have on my chair for carbon fiber ones that Quickie makes and was just wondering if they are full carbon fiber chairs out there.

[blckchns]

This was the only other company I could find: Future Chairs

Though based on the pictures the Italian made chairs look better. I think it's weave that makes the difference.

Edited by blckchns, 27 July 2009 - 03:21 AM.

[twisted_ophelia]

blckchns, on Jul 26 2009, 11:20 PM, said:

This was the only other company I could find: Future Chairs

Though based on the pictures the Italian made chairs look better. I think it's weave that makes the difference.

Hmm, yeah, I agree, the Italian made chairs look better. I wonder if those are the only two companies out there in the world who are making carbon fiber chairs right now. On the Future Chairs, I find that the frame looks sort of weird and bulky. I just find the idea of a full carbon fiber chair to be really interesting (not just a chair that has carbon fiber components).

[pumpkinhead]

Here’s a ‘part’ carbon chair but more for off-roading I think. http://www.trekinetic.com/home.html

[twisted_ophelia]

The Trekinetic looks cool! AND it's not a bad price. Does anyone know if it is available in Canada (particularly any dealers in the Toronto area?).

Also, I was wondering. I have a Quickie Ti and it's VERY light. I have no handle bars, brakes, anti-tippers or anything that would add weight and currently am running a pair of Spinergy Spox on it so. Most people can lift my chair with one arm. My cushion is what adds the most weight to my chair--Jay Active cushions are heavy! Anyway, I'm wondering if a carbon fiber chair would be lighter and how much lighter it would be.

[blckchns]

pumpkinhead, on Jul 27 2009, 05:29 PM, said:

Here’s a ‘part’ carbon chair but more for off-roading I think. http://www.trekinetic.com/home.html

oh man, that thing looks rugged. But for some reason, it reminds me of a baby stroller, lol

maybe it's just me.

[twisted_ophelia]

blckchns, on Jul 28 2009, 01:06 AM, said:

pumpkinhead, on Jul 27 2009, 05:29 PM, said:

Here’s a ‘part’ carbon chair but more for off-roading I think. http://www.trekinetic.com/home.html

oh man, that thing looks rugged. But for some reason, it reminds me of a baby stroller, lol

maybe it's just me.

No, it's not just you. I took a closer look at their website and saw the pics of people actually IN the chair from the trade shows they have done. It looks really.... odd. It's like they are sitting in this giant bucket. I was also wondering about what kind of cushion can go into that thing and if it has to be one of their cushions. I'd be worried about that because I'm small with a bony bum and at higher risk for skin breakdown and have no desire to sit on cushions that don't keep my ass safe, so to speak. It also looks like it would be hard to propel, from the way you sit in it. Actually, it reminds me of sitting in a wheel barrow! The thing looks super cool other than that though. I wonder if there's a way to make the seat less bucket-like.

[pumpkinhead]

I remember fiddling around with a Quickie Carbon some 15-16 years ago. I never actually got in it but from just moving it around and trying to lift it it definitely felt heavier than my GPV Comp at the time.

However, like I mentioned, that was some time ago. Composites must be light years ahead now.

Slightly off topic but have you seen the new Quickie Helium? http://www.heliummob...en_gb/index.asp

[Texaswheelz]

There are a couple of threads here in these forums regarding that trekinetic and I believe some one has one and posted some information on using it.

[twisted_ophelia]

pumpkinhead, on Jul 28 2009, 05:16 PM, said:

I remember fiddling around with a Quickie Carbon some 15-16 years ago. I never actually got in it but from just moving it around and trying to lift it it definitely felt heavier than my GPV Comp at the time.

However, like I mentioned, that was some time ago. Composites must be light years ahead now.

Slightly off topic but have you seen the new Quickie Helium? http://www.heliummob...en_gb/index.asp

Isn't carbon fiber one of the lightest materials though? I do know someone who seems to know quite a bit about carbon fiber and I think I'll ask him which is lighter--carbon fiber or titanium. I'm very curious.

The link didn't work for me for the Helium chair! :-( I'm glad to see all these cool chairs coming out though. For a long time, Colours seemed to be the only company who was interested in pushing the boundary when it comes to building chairs but looks like Colours is lagging behind now. I heard the company got sold actually.

Texaswheelz, on Jul 28 2009, 07:32 PM, said:

There are a couple of threads here in these forums regarding that trekinetic and I believe some one has one and posted some information on using it.

Oh cool. I'll have to look it up and read some reviews.

[wheeels]

Carbon fiber is lighter but it depends on the application.

Aluminum is actually lighter then titanium the a possible advantage that titanium has is that its stronger and has some flex to it, so you can use less of it, if you took two tubes that weighted the same you would find that the titanium one would be a smaller diameter then the aluminum one.

If you look at bikes where some of the more advanced technology comes from most bikes are aluminum or carbon fiber the advantage of carbon fiber is that based on the weave you can add stiffness to specific areas.

I have a full titanium chair with a carbon fiber foot rest and side guards now, I think that I will go back to an aluminum chair next as I don't feel there is any advantage gained from going to titanium "accept for the smaller tube diameter".

The extra cost to move to titanium for me is not worth it.

One of the newest wheelchairs that I have seen come out called the Marvel its made out of aluminum, now this chair was made in a partnership with Cervelo. Cervelo is a maker of some of the best Carbon fiber bikes around and if anyone could make a carbon chair it would be them but they didn't so I think this may speak volumes as to what the better material is.

[pumpkinhead]

The Quickie Carbon I was playing with had lots of large diameter tubes (necessary for rigidity I guess) for the framework.
Compared to the much smaller diameter and fewer tubes for my GPV Comp frame I can see why the Q.C. felt heavier.
I found a pic of a Q.C. that some chap owns at carecure. http://carecure.rutg...ad.php?p=877416
You can see just how big the framework is.

Try this link for the Q Helium, if it doesn’t work try googleing.
http://www.heliummobility.eu

Edited by pumpkinhead, 29 July 2009 - 03:58 PM.

[twisted_ophelia]

wheeels, on Jul 29 2009, 11:39 AM, said:

Carbon fiber is lighter but it depends on the application.

Aluminum is actually lighter then titanium the a possible advantage that titanium has is that its stronger and has some flex to it, so you can use less of it, if you took two tubes that weighted the same you would find that the titanium one would be a smaller diameter then the aluminum one.

If you look at bikes where some of the more advanced technology comes from most bikes are aluminum or carbon fiber the advantage of carbon fiber is that based on the weave you can add stiffness to specific areas.

I have a full titanium chair with a carbon fiber foot rest and side guards now, I think that I will go back to an aluminum chair next as I don't feel there is any advantage gained from going to titanium "accept for the smaller tube diameter".

The extra cost to move to titanium for me is not worth it.

One of the newest wheelchairs that I have seen come out called the Marvel its made out of aluminum, now this chair was made in a partnership with Cervelo. Cervelo is a maker of some of the best Carbon fiber bikes around and if anyone could make a carbon chair it would be them but they didn't so I think this may speak volumes as to what the better material is.

I have a full titanium chair and it's light as a feather. I'm going to switch out the side guards for carbon fiber ones but I don't think it will make much difference in weight because the ones I have now are pretty light. Did the carbon fiber footrest you have come with the chair or did you buy it seperate? I have a covered footplate but the tubing beneath the cover is titanium. It would be cool to switch out the plastic cover for carbon fiber. What is your current chair? Ti Lite? I was wondering about the Marvel chair actually, if it was carbon fiber. So it's aluminum then? Hmm. I wonder if they have plans for a carbon fiber one in the future. There has been lots of debate on this forum about aluminum vs titanium for chair materials and quite frankly, I'd always pick titanium over aluminum. But that's just a personal preference.

The Quickie Helium looks cool! The link worked.

[wheeels]

I have and RGK Hi-Light, the foot plate is titanium with the carbon cover on it, the camber bar it also titanium.

I like the look of the Helium - notice that its aluminum?

I don't think you will see a carbon chair soon, the manufacture price would be rather high.

I think that frame material is almost irrelevant now, to save weight you have to look at the frame shape and things like wheels and casters that I think add the most weight.

I had a chance to try the Marvel and its a nice chair but I found it to be heavy, cool design but they really need to put it on a diet.

[twisted_ophelia]

wheeels, on Jul 29 2009, 03:24 PM, said:

I have and RGK Hi-Light, the foot plate is titanium with the carbon cover on it, the camber bar it also titanium.

I like the look of the Helium - notice that its aluminum?

I don't think you will see a carbon chair soon, the manufacture price would be rather high.

I think that frame material is almost irrelevant now, to save weight you have to look at the frame shape and things like wheels and casters that I think add the most weight.

I had a chance to try the Marvel and its a nice chair but I found it to be heavy, cool design but they really need to put it on a diet.

Indeed, I did notice the Helium is aluminum. The only two carbon chairs out there seem to the Italian one and the one from Future Chairs in the UK since I've looked some more and have found nothing. One of the guys that built the Marvel chair is from Toronto (Jeff Adams) and friends with some people I know. I actually didn't really like the look of the Marvel chair. I thought it looked... awkward. I haven't seen it in person though, only in some pics online, and on their Youtube promo vids. It would be interesting to try it out though. How much does the Marvel chair weigh, anyone know?

I agree that the price of carbon fiber chairs will probably be extremely high--at least until they are more common. Even titanium chairs are still really expensive. I'm lucky in that the government paid for mine in full. The Italian carbon chair just looks awesome. My first impression is always looks/aesthetics when it comes to chairs and most of the time, chairs that look cool are shit. I wonder how the Italian carbon chair would ride. I would LOVE to try that thing out for a week. Doubt that'll happen though as I don't think there is a single dealer anywhere in North America, nevermind in the Toronto area.

[pumpkinhead]

Here's another company developing carbon chairs (among other stuff), checkout their portfolio.
http://www.pearsonbikes.com/

[twisted_ophelia]

I actually was talking about carbon fiber chairs with the friend of mine who seems to know a great deal about the it and he said that it's not a good idea for chairs, really (well, not for people who are hard on their chairs like I am) because the stuff can shatter and when it shatters, it's REALLY SHATTERS, like blows up into shards which can really hurt you. I trust his opinion, he seems pretty knowledgeable about carbon, titanium, metals, etc., and I asked him what is lighter/better for chairs--titanium or carbon? He said titanium without a doubt. I found it quite interesting as I didn't know that carbon fiber can shatter like that.

[russ1]

pumpkinhead, on Jul 28 2009, 10:16 PM, said:

I remember fiddling around with a Quickie Carbon some 15-16 years ago. I never actually got in it but from just moving it around and trying to lift it it definitely felt heavier than my GPV Comp at the time.

However, like I mentioned, that was some time ago. Composites must be light years ahead now.

Slightly off topic but have you seen the new Quickie Helium? http://www.heliummob...en_gb/index.asp

Just ordered a new Helium, should be with me in 3 or 4 weeks. Seriously light chair, makes my current Quickie Ti seem heavy which pre Helium was probably the lightest adjustable chair on the market with the probable exception of the Future chair. Looks like it could be a little less durable due to being so lightweight but time will tell on that one. It's no cheaper than a Ti chair though when specified up to a lightweight level with the normal options.

[twisted_ophelia]

russ1, on Aug 12 2009, 07:13 AM, said:

pumpkinhead, on Jul 28 2009, 10:16 PM, said:

I remember fiddling around with a Quickie Carbon some 15-16 years ago. I never actually got in it but from just moving it around and trying to lift it it definitely felt heavier than my GPV Comp at the time.

However, like I mentioned, that was some time ago. Composites must be light years ahead now.

Slightly off topic but have you seen the new Quickie Helium? http://www.heliummob...en_gb/index.asp

Just ordered a new Helium, should be with me in 3 or 4 weeks. Seriously light chair, makes my current Quickie Ti seem heavy which pre Helium was probably the lightest adjustable chair on the market with the probable exception of the Future chair. Looks like it could be a little less durable due to being so lightweight but time will tell on that one. It's no cheaper than a Ti chair though when specified up to a lightweight level with the normal options.

Cool! If you could post some pics of it when you get it that'd be awesome. If it's lighter than a Ti, I'm impressed. My chair is superlight already but If I got a lighter one, I'd be pretty stoked. I've actually just ordered carbon fiber side guards for my chair, just waiting on them to arrive. Anyone know where/if I can get a carbon fiber footplate? I think it'd be cool replace the standard footplate cover I have right now with something carbon fiber.

[pumpkinhead]

@ russ1, congrats on your new purchase. Did you go for the Electron?

@ twisted_ophelia, are there any carbon fibre manufacturers in or around your town/city you could ask? Maybe they could do you a one- off copy.
Failing that, perhaps you could buy a piece of carbon fibre flat sheet and trim it yourself using your existing footplate as a template?
Have a look here http://www.protechco...vlet/StoreFront
They have allsorts including samples and scraps.
Should be enough to satisfy your CF obsession for a while.

[twisted_ophelia]

pumpkinhead, on Aug 13 2009, 12:15 PM, said:

@ russ1, congrats on your new purchase. Did you go for the Electron?

@ twisted_ophelia, are there any carbon fibre manufacturers in or around your town/city you could ask? Maybe they could do you a one- off copy.
Failing that, perhaps you could buy a piece of carbon fibre flat sheet and trim it yourself using your existing footplate as a template?
Have a look here http://www.protechco...vlet/StoreFront
They have allsorts including samples and scraps.
Should be enough to satisfy your CF obsession for a while.

Well, I know there are places that do CF modifications to cars. I was thinking of trying one of those places because I don't see why they couldn't do it to my chair if they can do it to a car! I'm not sure that I'd want to try the flat sheet out myself as I don't have any experience with carbon fiber and don't want to risk injuries, considering how the stuff shatters. I would imagine it takes a tremendous amount of force for this happen but it's not something I really want to play around with--I'll leave it to people who know what they're doing. Some of the guys I know might be wanting to try that out though. THEY can be the ones to have it shatter in their faces

[pumpkinhead]

I played around with some CF sheets a few years ago and found it was quite easy to work with. A fine pitch blade on a jigsaw cut it ok and sand paper to smooth the edges.
I’m not sure about it ‘shattering’ though, of all the bits I broke that never happened, it just snapped like stiff plastic does.
After all, if it was that bad/dangerous it wouldn’t be used in motorsport.
Try getting hold of an off-cut or a sample and see what you think.

[twisted_ophelia]

pumpkinhead, on Aug 13 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

I played around with some CF sheets a few years ago and found it was quite easy to work with. A fine pitch blade on a jigsaw cut it ok and sand paper to smooth the edges.
I’m not sure about it ‘shattering’ though, of all the bits I broke that never happened, it just snapped like stiff plastic does.
After all, if it was that bad/dangerous it wouldn’t be used in motorsport.
Try getting hold of an off-cut or a sample and see what you think.

Oh, I never said that carbon fiber itself was bad/dangerous. Quite the opposite. I find the stuff to be pretty cool. I just feel that not having any experience or knowledge with working with it would be dangerous for me. The sheets are different from the stuff they use in motorsports, or on cars, or to build chairs with though, is it not? The sheets would not shatter the way a carbon fiber car hood would potentially shatter if in an accident. Where can I buy an off-cut of it though? Some of guys at my tattoo shop would probably be interested in playing with it if I asked them to. They're all into that sort of thing.

[Bevan-L]

if you're cutting CF be very careful with inhaling the fine dust and splinters can be pretty lethal.

[ADP-10-08-63]

THE SEATS ARE MADE IN TWO PIECES BACK AND FRONT AND THEN BONDED TOGETHER BY OUTSIDE COMPANY SPECILISING IN CARBON FIBRE PRODUCTS

THE TWO MAIN PLAYERS OF CARBON FIBRE WHEELS ARE:- ZIPP ----- HED

Edited by ADP-10-08-63, 28 December 2009 - 10:02 PM.

[COOL Mobility]

Kuschall (Invacare now) have a Carbon side frame version of their Champion I have one and, although 900gms lighter than the aluminium version at 24 lbs complete, is still not an ultralight due to weight of folding mechanism. Cool looking chair but I have to protect it from impacts as carbon is actually brittle to side impacts - hence why the carbon and composite tube chairs of the early 90s disappeared. KUSCHALL CHAMPION

For (full) Carbon wheels check out Karma brand (I have them and love them - so narrow and my dog can walk through them!) A bit heavier than lightweight spokes, but definitely cool...

Just be aware that carbon is very strong but easily damaged and very hard to repair.

Colin

Edited by COOL Mobility, 29 December 2009 - 12:02 AM.

[ADP-10-08-63]

Instead of carbon fibre you also have two good companies that specialise in machined wheels

1. www.colourswheelchair.com specialising in spinners
2. www.glancewheels.com billet made wheel of highest quality